Coach goes viral after smearing player's blood on own face

In short:

Minnesota college football coach PJ Fleck wiped the bloody mouth of Maverick Baranowski and smeared the blood on his own cheeks.

Fleck said he believed that it was something that was done by "back in the day" by "frontiersmen out West".

Minnesota wide receiver Javon Tracy described his coach as "crazy" and "very energetic".

Minnesota college football coach PJ Fleck's intensity was on full display after his team's win against Washington on the weekend.

"He's a crazy man," Golden Gophers linebacker Maverick Baranowski said of Fleck.

In the aftermath of the 27-24 win, Baranowski, who said he was hit by a boot on the last play of the game, was bleeding from his mouth. After the two embraced, Fleck grabbed the senior linebacker's head with two hands, then aggressively wiped the blood from Baranowski's mouth and brushed it on his own cheeks.

"Blood brother," said Fleck, who has coached Minnesota since 2017. 

"Back in the day, I'm sure that's what they did — the frontiersmen out West. Little blood on there I guess."

Blood, sweat and tears helped the Gophers (3-1) get their first win on the road since a 24-7 victory at Wisconsin in November 2024.

"It's a great moment," Baranowski said. 

"Winning's hard in the Big Ten, and when you get to win at a place like this, [it's] just so exciting, and [I] get to enjoy that with all my teammates and my head coach always having my back for the last five years. I love that guy more than anyone and [it was] an awesome opportunity to share that moment with him.

Receiver Javon Tracy, who had seven receptions for 41 yards and score, witnessed it firsthand.

"I would never do that, but PJ — he's different, man," Tracy said.

"Like, he's crazy. He's very energetic."

Fleck cleaned himself up, but had remnants of blood stains on his right white sleeve after the game.